Fritz’s Polka Band Releases 18th Recording

The photo shows the cover of “The WSKG Sessions” by Fritz’s Polka Band.

(Verona, NY – Nov. 2013) Fritz’s Polka Band (FPB) from Verona released their 18th recording, “The WSKG Sessions” Nov. 1. This date was chosen as it marks the fourth anniversary of the last time founding FPB member, the late Fred Scherz Sr. played a tune on accordion with Fritz.

“The WSKG Sessions” (recorded on Feb. 4, 2012 before FPB guitarist, Tom Campbell retired) is a double live CD and will be FPB’s first recording since Fred passed away on Nov. 14, 2009, and will be available at FPB gigs as well as on CD Baby, iTunes, and other on-line outlets as well.

“The last few years, people have been asking when FPB was going to release a new CD,” said Fritz Scherz, band leader of Fritz’s Polka Band. “The thing is, I did not know when or even if we were going to. After my Dad passed away, it created a huge void in the band, both from a musical and personal perspective and I thought about putting FPB to rest. But, I knew that’s not what my Dad wanted. In fact, as he was dying from cancer, he told me to keep the band going. I’ll admit, at first it wasn’t easy. It’s still tough playing without him on the stage next to me, as he left a huge void. You see, a guy like him can’t be replaced.

“So, this recording has some extra special meaning to me, as it’s my band’s effort at carrying on my Dad’s legacy,” Scherz said. “We were sure to include some tunes of his on it. As it turns out, many of my Dad’s friends were in the studio audience for this recording, as we took a busload of friends with us to the WSKG TV studio for this recording.”

Fritz’s Polka Band has been performing for 35 years, and made history in 1999, when they became the first polka band to perform at a Woodstock Festival in Rome, NY. FPB has made 18 recordings and even appears on “The Manchurian Candidate” DVD, which was released in 2004.

FPB won a Just Plain Folks Music Award for Bialczak’s Polka in 2008.

FPB won an Upper State Independent (USI) Award in Syracuse, NY, in 2008 and 2009. In June 2009, FPB won their first ever Syracuse Area Music Award (SAMMY) for their “Reflections” recording.

In 2010, FPB was inducted into the Syracuse Area Music Hall of Fame.

In 2011, FPB had two songs (‘Grandparent’s Polka’ and ‘Here Is Fritz’s Polka Band’) included in two different episodes of the hit cable TV show, ‘Breaking Bad.’